Purpose :
The evaluation of visual acuity among Deaf individuals can be difficult. The Handy Eye Chart™ is designed to assist in evaluating patients with non-standard communication styles. The aim of this research is to compare visual acuity outcomes with The Handy Eye Chart™ against the Lea Symbols Chart in a population of Deaf children and to compare testability and preference between the charts.

Methods :
24 participants were recruited at the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf. Visual Acuity was evaluated using The Handy Eye Chart™ and the Lea Symbols Chart. Patient preference and duration of testing were measured.

Results :
The mean difference between the visual acuity as measured by each chart was – 0.02 logmar (95% CI: -0.06-0.03). Testing with the Handy Eye Chart™ was an average of 13.79 seconds faster than the Lea Symbols Chart (95% CI: 1.1-26.47; p=0.03). 71% of the participants preferred the Handy Eye Chart™ (95% CI: 49-87%; p=0.07).

Conclusions :
The Handy Eye Chart™ is a fast, valid, and preferred tool for measuring visual acuity in Deaf children age 7-18 years. Additional research is needed to evaluate the utility of the Handy Eye Chart™ in younger children and Deaf adults.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.